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Within his freshly published personal account, called Ithaki, the former prime minister Tsipras pulls no punches while he revisits the chaotic era of Greece's debt drama.

A Controversial Choice

In the ex-PM's account, Tsipras selected that maverick academic Varoufakis to be his finance minister mainly due to his global profile and his highly compelling skills when it came to public orator.

“In reality, he was, in reality, more like a star rather than an economist,” wrote the 51-year-old.

Clashing Priorities

Tsipras alleges that Varoufakis possessed a personal agenda that involved promoting Varoufakis's books and experimenting with his economic models using the nation instead of truly advocating its financial survival.

Tsipras noted how those negotiations to avoid insolvency were “not just a method to secure a better deal for the country. They became an experiment, a monumental opportunity to demonstrate the validity of Varoufakis's theories.”

Critical Talks

During volatile negotiations, the country came dangerously close to exiting the eurozone.

At stake lay not only Greece's future but also the harsh cutbacks demanded in return for rescue loans from international creditors.

Failed Options

Attempts to secure funds elsewhere, including an urgent appeal to Russia to buy Greek bonds, were rejected.

Helping the indebted country was tantamount to throwing money into the garbage, the Russian leader is reputed to have informed Tsipras during their meeting.

Referendum and U-Turn

That summer, the punitive bailout terms were put to a popular referendum, an action that plunged the EU into deeper crisis of identity.

Even though the referendum was carried resoundingly by those against austerity, the prime minister was forced to ignore the result and agree to a bailout package from foreign lenders that turned out to be even harsher.

Breaking Point

The ex-PM revealed that he started questioning Varoufakis quite early on.

“Varoufakis was the face of the talks, the figure who attracted media attention, who appeared on the front pages of publications the world over … it seemed he relished the spotlight.”

When Varoufakis outlined a backup strategy that included creating a secondary currency as well as distributing coupons to retirees, the leader knew that it was the end questioning Varoufakis: “Are you serious?”

Enduring Criticism

Within the book, Tsipras concludes how his former ally demonstrated himself to be “unfit for an agreement demanding complex and sensitive handling.”

He also wrote that Varoufakis's confrontational style left him increasingly isolated among peers, endangered the country, while assisted hardliners that were pushing for Grexit.

The retelling of history has provoked fury along with stunned disbelief in some quarters, whereas Varoufakis has so far kept a deafening silence regarding these claims.